


Who Knew I Needed You

by Haelstrom



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Ending, Feelings, Fix-It, Friends to Lovers, Fuck Canon, Happy Ending, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Recovery, Smut, They leave, Tiny Angst, also fuck konoha, if I missed something tell me, not really enough to even be called angst?, oh yeah, they lose their arms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:07:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21893392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haelstrom/pseuds/Haelstrom
Summary: Sasuke wakes up in the hospital beside Naruto and starts his rocky journey to recovery after losing his arm.  He considers himself lucky to always have Naruto by his side, who always says that's what best friends are for, but is that all they are?
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 31
Kudos: 416
Collections: Extraordinary SNS Fics💕





	Who Knew I Needed You

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so I’m not exactly sure how to describe this….I’ve been working on it piece by piece since before I started my last long fic, but I tried to take extra time with word choice and stuff so I hope its likable lol. Written from Sauske's POV *shrugs*...Happy reading :)

The first thing Sasuke could remember, when he woke up in the hospital after his fight with Naruto, was feeling relief.He’d lost, that was true.But he’d also gained so so much.It was freeing, but also terrifying, to have gotten past all he set out to do, whether he succeeded or not.He had his best friend to thank for that feeling, mostly, for never giving up on him, and for forgiving him almost instantly.When he thought deeply about it, it made him feel…things.Things he’d rather _not_ think about.

Once he started the process of waking up, it took him a while to realize where he was and remember everything that had happened.He had no idea how long he’d been out, or they’d been out, he corrected.Eventually, he had looked over and noticed the blond in the bed beside him.It was fitting, he thought, them still being side by side.

The silence didn’t last long, though.He had maybe an hour before Sakura walked quietly into their hospital room, directly to Naruto’s bed.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” He heard her whisper, while checking papers printing out of the machine beside him.

To Sasuke’s surprise, he stirred and answered quietly, “I’m fine.It barely hurts, honest.”

“They should be bringing your dinner tray in soon,” Sasuke heard her say, and his eyes immediately flicked over to the window.With the amount of light coming through, it could have easily been morning or evening, but now he knew.

“No chance you would sneak me in some ramen, huh?”

“Naruto,” Sakura said, her voice stern around his name, “if nothing else, this hospital stay will be good for your diet.I can’t believe you still exist almost completely off of ramen—”

“Alright, alright,” he interrupted her, “I’m sick, remember.No lectures.”Sasuke couldn’t see her face, but he was willing to bet her eyes were narrowed and her eyebrows pinched together.Naruto either took no notice or didn’t care, “has Sasuke woken up yet?”

“No, Naruto.You know he can’t heal as quickly as you.You need to let yourself get some rest and stop worrying.”

“Will you wake me up if he wakes up?”

“If you promise to sleep for more than an hour at a time, yes.”

She must have taken his answer as a given because she moved away from his bed.Sakura reached for the papers printed out of the machine beside his own bed before she looked up and found him looking at her.

“Oh!Sasuke, you are awake.”He didn’t really know what to say because yeah, he was.

He vaguely heard a, “what!?” from across the room before Sakura was firing questions at him.

“How do you feel? Does anything hurt?What do you remember?”Meanwhile, she was flashing a light in his eyes and assessing his arm.

“I remember everything, and I feel doped up,” Sasuke said, his voice scratchy from not being used.Naruto was surprisingly quiet after his initial outburst, and Sakura quickly finished her examination.

“You’re on pain medication, so that’s why you feel loopy,” she said, running her hands along his IV to adjust the way it was laying.“You’ve been unconscious for four days.”

Four days seemed…fair.He was sure Naruto hadn’t been out nearly as long, but he’d take that over dying.He was glad to be awake now, at least.

“All of your vitals are still steady, and all of your reflexes check out.I’ll just let Tsunadeknow you’re awake.The evening meal should be coming around soon, I’ve just told Naruto.You’ll be on a liquid diet at least for the first 24 hours you’re awake.If you need help eating, just let me know.Other than that, is there anything else I can get you right now?”

“No,” Sasuke mumbled, trying to absorb all the information she was giving him.

“Okay.I’m on shift until morning, so you can call me if you change your mind.I’ll be in to check on you again in a little while.”With that, she turned and left, shooting a quick look of warning to Naruto.

As soon as the door clicked, the blond sat up to look over at him.

“Bastard,” he said, a smile stretching across his face.Sasuke just looked at him.He really didn’t think he had it in him to smile just yet, but that had never bothered Naruto before.“You really feel okay?You can be honest, I won’t tell Sakura.”

“I’m…fine.”Sasuke didn’t even try to sit up.

“I woke up the day after they brought us here.It’s boring, and the food sucks.Lot’s of healthy stuff, you know.You’ll probably like it actually.They put us together without me having to ask you know, you don’t mind right?” Naruto’s gaze drifted back to his, to make sure his answer was sincere, no doubt.

“No.I…prefer it.”Sasuke didn’t know what exactly made him say that much, but he knew it had something to do with the honesty they’d shared those few days ago, after their fight, when they weren’t sure if they would live.He felt much closer to Naruto, now that he’d let go of his need to flee from him and everything he represented.

He felt that they’d both reached some kind of unspoken understanding.His thoughts were reenforced when Naruto accepted his admission with a quick nod and laid back in his bed.They passed the time until dinner in a comfortable silence with Sasuke replaying his memories before he’d been unconscious.

It wasn’t until he had his dinner sat in front of him that he felt anxiety slither into his chest.Even the arm that wasn’t hurt was reluctant to follow his commands.He’d made an attempt to pick up his bowl of soup, but he didn’t get any farther than his hand flopping heavily onto the tray in front of him.

His fingers seemed to be locked into place, and his face was snarled up in concentration before he gave up trying to get them to move.Just as he was ready to attempt leaning his face down toward the bowl, a shadow fell over him.

“Let me help you” Naruto said, as he glanced up at him.He shouldn’t be out of bed, advanced healing or not, but he had a small resigned smile on his face.Before Sasuke could think to argue, Naruto had the bowl right in front of his lips waiting for him to take a sip.

He was mortified and he hated needing help, but if it had to be anyone, he’d rather it be Naruto.Just the thought of anyone else tipping soup into his mouth and watching him dutifully swallow made appreciation for the blond surge up in his belly.Sasuke didn’t even have to ask, but Naruto was right there, willing to help anyway.The embarrassment was pushing him to lash out, but he buried whatever bitter words he’d been about to say, and he let his best friend feed him.

Just as he was finishing his last mouthful of some smoothie he’d gotten as a dessert, they heard Sakura’s voice outside the door.Naruto let out a yelp and hobbled quickly back to his own bed.He’d pulled up his own covers and arranged his tray back in front of him just in time for her to walk through their door.

“Just came to make sure you got your food and check your vitals,” she said, breezing straight to Sasuke’s bed this time.“I was going to ask if you needed help eating, but it looks like you’re fine.”

Her assessment was much quicker this time around, so she didn’t linger before walking to Naruto’s side of the room.Sasuke must have missed some cue from her expression because the next time she spoke her voice was laced with anger.

“Naruto you can’t just not eat because you don’t like vegetables.Sasuke just woke up and he’s already cleared his tray, but you’ve not even touched yours.I swear if you’re not eating because you got someone to sneak unhealthy food in, I’m gonna—”

“No, no Sakura please,” Naruto interrupted her, his hands held out in front of him in an effort to placate her.Sasuke felt dread coat his stomach.Naruto would have to tell her that he’d fed him instead, and then she’d probably insist someone else do it.Not to mention the trouble Naruto would be in for getting out of bed in the first place.“I just got caught up talking to Sasuke that’s all.Please stop freaking out.”

Sasuke’s eyebrows shot up when he heard Naruto’s lie.He didn’t even hesitate.He knew.He _knew._

“Whatever you say.That tray better be empty when they come to collect it.”

“Alright Sakura, it will be, I promise.”She seemed to be satisfied with his answer because she finished writing things on her clipboard and swept out of the room.Naruto almost immediately picked up his fork and started eating.

Sasuke was overwhelmed.Naruto had put off eating to feed him, and he’d avoided telling Sakura because he knew how Sasuke would feel about being fed.It was…a lot. But…

“Naruto.”

“It’s okay, Sasuke.I know.You don’t have to say anything.You’ll be healed up in no time, anyway, and then we won’t even have to worry about it,”Naruto’s tone was sincere.He meant what he said.Sasuke just stayed quiet, but his mind was moving a mile a minute because after _all_ this time, Naruto still knew him.He couldn’t decide if he was comforted or unsettled.

A week.A week was all it took for Naruto to be healed enough to be ready for his prosthetic that Tsunade had prepared for both of them.They’d both started physical therapy at the same time, and while Sasuke had barely made any progress, Naruto was completely done, with only twinges of leftover pain.

Sasuke knew he was brooding when they came in to do his therapy, and Naruto got to sit there and watch.For now, he was allowed to do it while still in his room, but eventually he’d have to go and use their specialized equipment. 

The therapy was painful, having to exercise the remaining part of an arm that was just recently removed from his body by pure force was not pleasant.Every time he felt ready to complain, all he had to do was replay all the information they’d nearly drowned him with when this first started.How it was better to start early to rehabilitate all his muscles so his arm didn’t get used to never moving.He understood, sure.But it was hard to remember when someone was standing over you, forcing you to do things that were literally excruciating.

At least he got to be there when Naruto went through all the fittings and tests to get his new prosthetic.It was made from specialized cells they said and eventually would be just like his normal arm.They had one for Sasuke too, they always told him, but he’d made sure there was no confusion in the matter.He would not be taking that prosthetic, and it wasn’t up for discussion.

He and Naruto had already gone back and forth over his decision, and the blond was the only person he was even willing to discuss it further with.His lack of an arm would serve as a permanent reminder of his actions, against his best friend.It was final in his mind, no matter how Naruto pleaded, he wouldn’t be swayed.

The surgery to attach his new arm was over quickly, but Sasuke had gotten used to the blond always being there.He’d never admit to it, but he’d kept checking the clock and wondering when Naruto would be brought back.The surgery should have been no threat to him at all, but worry was never logical, so Sasuke felt like he didn’t breathe until they rolled him back into their room.

He was already awake, but under strict orders not to try and move his arm for a full 24 hours.They had it strapped appropriately, but unsurprisingly, they doubted the straps effectiveness against Naruto’s will.

But he didn’t move it, didn’t even feel pain by the next morning, and was back doing physical therapy everyday with Sasuke by the second day.Again he made progress far more quickly, working very obvious circles around him, and getting used to his new arm faster than Sasuke could relearn using his old partial one.

When a month had passed since Sasuke had woken up in the hospital, it was the day that he finally got to go home.Naruto had gotten to go home almost two weeks earlier, but had been by everyday, faithfully, to visit Sasuke and complete his physical therapy.Almost everyday, he’d been there from morning until night, staying until they literally kicked him out and made him go home.It was easier for Sasuke, with Naruto there as a distraction, to tamp down the frustration building in his stomach. 

At the same time, every bit of progress Naruto made felt like a slap in the face to him.It wasn’t Naruto’s fault, and he put a large amount of effort into never showing his feelings on the matter, but he was hard on himself still.He wanted to heal faster, to be back in good shape, so he could keep up again.

But here he was, a month later, and his wound was visibly healed, but inside he was not.He hadn’t gone a day without pain, not since he’d stopped taking the meds Sakura gave him.He refused to be on them long term, but that apparently meant that he’d be dealing with pain instead.His arm hurt, his back hurt, and the rest of his body hurt from overcompensating for his arm.

No matter what he was doing, he was exhausted within hours, likely because his body was constantly fighting itself.His therapist repeated often that he was doing well, especially for the level of pain he was having, but he wouldn’t accept that.

Now, he was going home, however.Sakura would be coming to his house to fulfill his therapy requirements and give him check-ups, and other than that, he was on his own.It was up to him to figure out how to live his life with half of the dexterity he used to have.He was…not looking forward to it.

Naruto showed up, of course, to walk home with him.He suggested they stop and get lunch, but Sasuke wasn’t in the mood to be in public.So they’d walked to his house instead.

“Do you need help with anything?” Naruto asked, following Sasuke through his front door.He was back staying in his old house in the Uchiha district, for now at least.

“No.You don’t have to stay, either,” Sasuke said, all too aware of the blond following him through the neglected house.

“Ahh, okay,” Naruto said, standing in Sasuke’s kitchen, scratching the back of his head like always.“Just let me know if you need anything, then.”

Once Naruto was gone, the space felt even more empty.Sasuke always underestimated his ability to fill and light up a room, now all he was left with was a dusty house, full of stale air.

Before he did anything else, he opened all the windows.The first one was a chore, figuring out how to angle his body so he could wrench them open with one arm, but he had no trouble by the last one.Then he went to his old room, determined to at least have a clean place to sleep that night.

The next day he found it inevitable that he go out into the village.Not a single one of the appliances still in the house worked, and he had to be able to do laundry and cook and store food.Conveniently, the second he stepped out his front door, he could see Naruto striding toward him down the path from town.

“Morning, Sasuke,” he said, his usual smile back in place, waving with his new hand.Things must be going well then, Sasuke thought, if he was using his new arm without hesitating.

“Hn,” Sasuke grunted, walking down to meet him in the road.

“Where ya going?”

“To buy appliances.”

“Oooh can I go?” Naruto asked, his eyes lighting up with genuine excitement.

“Uh, yeah,” Sasuke said, moving to continue walking, and ignoring the fact that Naruto thought appliance shopping was exciting.

“How’s your arm? Does it still hurt?”

“Yes,” Sasuke said, reluctantly.It was bad enough that he had to constantly feel the pain, let alone having to talk about it.Naruto must have realized because he changed the subject, instead rambling on about something random like usual.

His arm didn’t come up again for the rest of the day, which he definitely preferred.Somehow they managed to shop quickly and arrange for delivery that same day.Sasuke caved on eating out for lunch, and then they stopped to get necessary food items on the way home.

“If you want to get cold stuff and store it at my place until tomorrow, you can.I have room in my fridge, and yours should be up and running by tomorrow.We can also just come back shopping tomorrow too, if you want, but I thought maybe you’d want to avoid that.If you left it at my house, I could bring it by in the morning,” Naruto was rambling again, while Sasuke perused shelves.

He remembered a time when Naruto’s senseless chatter was the bane of his existence, but he didn’t mind it much now.It was, at the very least, comforting to not have to try and keep up his side of the “conversation” since, really, it wasn’t one.He could give the occasional noise to show he was paying attention and just let Naruto continue on.

Just outside the store, though, he finally responded, “you can take my cold stuff, like you said.”

“Okay!And I can bring it to you in the morning.”

“Good,” Sasuke said, “until tomorrow then.”But he didn’t get so much as a step away before Naruto was sputtering behind him.

“What? You’re so silly.I gotta come to see your new appliances in your house.”Sasuke had just turned back toward Naruto when a clone popped up beside him.He watched with slight horror as the clone took his cold groceries and sprinted off toward the blond’s apartment.He was barely refraining from letting his jaw drop when Naruto happily caught up with him, intending for them both to start walking again.

He didn’t even know what to say, so he said nothing.They walked in silence back to his house, were there not even five minutes, and then the appliance people showed up.Naruto insisted on using his clones to move the old ones, even going so far as to load them up for the guys to haul away, and then he chatted amicably about the way the new ones looked in Sasuke’s house.

It was mundane, extremely helpful, and so irritating to Sasuke that he thought he could explode.Naruto was doing nothing wrong.He was helping, going above and beyond like he always did, with a stupidly positive attitude, which he also always had, and all that was doing was making frustration burn like lava in Sasuke’s stomach.

The longer Naruto was there after the guys left, the harder he tried to let it go, and the more desperately he failed.Finally, they had managed to tidy up the kitchen and clean out the cabinets without getting in each other’s way too much.Sasuke made to grab a bag of his new groceries, nonperishable ones that went in the cabinet, and Naruto picked it up right before he could.His temper snapped.

“I can do it, Naruto!” Sasuke gritted out.He didn’t raise his voice, but it seemed like Naruto picked up on his irritation anyway because he let go of the bag with a jerk.It only took a second, barely long enough for him to take a breath, for regret to come crashing down on his shoulders.

Hurt flashed across Naruto’s face before he masked it with a half hearted smile, and Sasuke swore he could feel his insides twist with guilt.

“Sorry, Sasuke.I know you can do it.I wasn’t thinking.”

Naruto was making it worse.He knew he deserved anything but an apology, if nothing else Sasuke should be the one saying sorry.His words had whipped out like a reflex, spurred on, he knew, by the constant pain throbbing across his body, but he shouldn’t be taking it out on Naruto.Naruto, his best friend, who was taking time out of his day to help Sasuke when he surely didn’t have to.

“No, I’m sorry, but maybe…maybe you should go.I can finish.Thanks for your help.”As he said it, he turned away to open a cabinet door.He knew it was avoidant, cowardly maybe, to make it impossible to see Naruto’s reaction to being dismissed, but he couldn’t handle any more emotions that day. 

He already felt rubbed raw by the pain and the constant frustration of getting used tohaving one arm, he really couldn’t handle the effects that lashing out again would inevitably cause.So he thought it best for Naruto to leave, so Sasuke could calm down, and not have any more chances of stamping on his feelings.

When he heard the front door open and close, he felt his shoulders sag.As if he needed to be any more irritated with himself.He managed to finish putting food away into the cabinets before he walked down the hall and put himself to bed.All he could hope was that tomorrow would be a better day.

It took him a week to clean up the inside of his house, a week with Naruto’s help of course, because he’d shown back up at Sasuke’s house the next morning and not even he had the heart to turn him away.

But now Sasuke’s focus was turned to the outside, to the dilapidated way his family house had endured the years he was gone.The overgrowth of plants and grass, the small level of disrepair and wear.Setting everything right had become a completely different type of therapy that he was putting himself through.He needed it at the same time that his body protested it.

Even Sakura was admitting that his arm was giving him more trouble than was normal.He felt pain in parts of him that didn’t exist anymore,just as his entire upper body somehow hurt as a ripple effect.

It was something he couldn’t help but be reminded of, as he did his best to haul away debris of overgrown weeds and trees that he’d been cutting down for days.Ever since he’d snapped at him, Naruto had made sure to help in a distant sort of way, which Sasuke simultaneously needed and hated himself for insisting on.But he used the work to soothe him inside, his body be damned for betraying him in such a way.He was always able to drive himself on with such thoughts until he laid in bed every morning, his muscles stiff, his bones aching, and his fucking stump of an arm lit on fire from his activities the day before.

He’d been planning on taking the day off for Sakura’s therapy, and it was a reward his past self had given him because he didn’t know if he could be motivated to get right back to it anyway.He’d take the rest for what is was worth and resume tomorrow.

“I brought you over some soup I made,” Sakura said, on her way through the door.

“You don’t have to feed me.I’m perfectly capable.”

She chuckled as she unpacked everything on his kitchen counter.“Yeah well, I made too much.It’s hard cooking for one person sometimes, so you’ll just have to get over it.”

He let a sigh be his answer as she finished and started getting out her tools for their appointment.“How are you feeling? I don’t know why I still ask, you never tell me.Anything new going on though, really?”She mumbled through the beginning but looked up at him at the end.

He sighed again, “it hurts in my arm that’s not there.”Truthfully he was in a lot of pain, and he didn’t think he’d told her about it making his whole upper body hurt, but he was managing that himself, with his own chakra and hot baths.

“That’s not necessarily common, but it does unfortunately happen.I see you’ve been working a lot outside, maybe just go a little easier on yourself for a while yeah?”

“Yeah sure,” he snorted, like he could just sit while there were things to be done.Sasuke watched the gears turn in Sakura’s head, like she really might argue further, before she let it go.

“Fine, then.Let’s get started.”

By the time his head hit the pillow that night, he felt…better, but he was still not looking forward to waking up the next morning, just to go back to hauling debris he could have cleared in hours before. 

He must have managed to fall asleep anyway, though, because the next thing he remembered was sunlight filtering through the two windows in his room.His first instinct was to lay for just a couple minutes, but he knew if he did, he’d be less likely to get up and do what he had to do, so out of the bed he rolled.

But his first step outside he noticed something was…wrong, or not really wrong but different.All the broken branches and weeds and things that he’d piled up were gone.He’d been hauling them away so he could burn them rather than leave them, but they weren’t even anywhere he could see, and all the hanging branches he had yet to gather were gone as well.

Suddenly he remembered his conversation with Sakura and wondered if she’d mentioned it to Kakashi and had some new genin sent to help him.

He wanted to be mad, but he just couldn’t.Something he’d been dreading was taken care of, and he could move on now without the toll on his body.So he turned to the next task, his spirits inevitably brighter, but his curiosity nowhere near satisfied.

For the next couple weeks, the random help continued.Sasuke would set on a task and just about the time it was getting hard for him to complete, the repetitive nature of whatever it was starting to wear on his body, he’d wake up and find it completely finished.He never mentioned it to anyone, assuming that he and Sakura were both just agreeing to not talkabout it.

Naruto probably knew something was up because Sasuke never seemed to need his help on the many occasions he came around talking entirely too much and determinedly lightening Sasuke’s mood.It never seemed to stop him from coming around though, offering help, insisting they go out for lunch at least once a week.At the rate everything was going, he’d be finished fixing up his childhood home in no time, but no matter what, he couldn’t shake the ongoing pain his body clung to.

“You look a little better,” Sakura said, setting all her things down, “not great though still.” 

“Wow thanks.”

Sakura smiled fondly though she rolled her eyes, “you know what I mean.”

“Well you have yourself to thank.Whoever you talked to that got those genin to come help me.”He mentioned it nonchalantly even if it was the first time they were discussing it out in the open, but Sakura looked genuinely confused.

“Genin?”

Sasuke himself was confused by her response and that always made frustration twist in his stomach. “Yeah, I assume that’s who’s been helping me out these last couple weeks?It started after our last session, so I guess I just assumed…”

Sakura laughed, making him all the more irritated.“Oh you mean Naruto.”

“Naruto.”

“Yeah Naruto’s the one who’s been doing all that.You really didn’t know?”

“No.”

“I mean it doesn’t make sense to me that he would hide it.He seemed really happy that he was getting to help.”

“It’s my fault.”When Sakura raised her eyebrows, he looked away.He was suddenly not in the mood to answer anymore questions.

That night when he laid in bed, he thought back over all the tasks that had been systematically completed for him.Just thinking about it made him sour enough to frown at himself in the dark, Naruto sneaking to help him because Sasuke’d snapped at him, _despite_ Sasuke snapping at him.

But Naruto had gone out of his way to still ask Sasuke if he needed help when he did show up, had gone out of his way, obviously, to make Sasuke think that it _wasn’t_ him. 

Whatever guilt his conversation with Sakura had strummed up, he’d have to swallow it. He just couldn't think of a way to broach the subject without making them both uncomfortable, unnecessarily so.He’d just have to think on it, and in the mean time, try to keep there from being anything for Naruto to do.

By the time Sakura came back for her next visit, Sasuke was right back in the boat he had been in before, miserable after finding out it was Naruto helping him and trying to overcompensate.

“Have you been outside working already?” Sakura said.No niceties today it seemed.

“Yes.”

“Are you feeling better then?”

Sasuke snorted, “no.”For a second he got no answer.Sakura just looked at him, but he had no doubt her mind was moving swiftly behind the blank expression.When she finally spoke, as if the way her expression morphed quickly into anger wasn’t warning enough, he really wished she hadn’t.

“So now that you’ve figured out it’s Naruto helping you, you just can’t stand accepting it then?Do you understand what it’s like for him watching you struggle because you refuse to accept help, and the last thing he wants to do is step on your toes?We care about you, Sasuke.We want to help you. If you won’t let me, fine, but Naruto…he needs to help.You know that.”

Every sentence she spoke cut him deeper.Because yeah, he knew Naruto needed to help, almost as much as Sasuke wanted to keep him from it, and of course him working through his own pain couldn’t help but leech into the idiot that refused to leave him alone.All he wanted was to do it on his own because he—

“You can’t use the pain to punish yourself for what happened.You don’t deserve to suffer, Sasuke.”His gaze shot up to hers, to the understanding shining in green eyes that he didn’t want.His stomach just twisted further like the discussion wasn’t already torturing him enough, but having his own unresolved feelings brought up was like laying out on a live wire.He didn’t want this.He didn’t want help, he didn’t want prying or even understanding.He wanted to deal with this on his own, recover on his own, like he always did.

“I don’t wanna do therapy today,” he said, getting up and walking away without another word.Sakura could deal because he was done for the day.

He didn’t even feel the echo of another person for two days.He jumped back and forth between feeling bad and getting angry at their conversation.After Naruto didn’t show for the second day, he started wondering if Sakura told him what Sasuke had been doing, about him trying to leave no work for Naruto to do.When he saw Naruto strolling toward him at the end of the third day, smile not dimmed at all on his face, Sasuke decided she must have spared him.

He hadn’t really gotten much done in the way of work.He’d been outside almost all day, but he’d been slow moving, his back choosing that day to give him extra trouble.Naruto showing up meant stopping for the day though, so he tried to hide how happy he was seeing that blond head approaching, his mood not even deterred by the ramen bag swinging in his hand.

Not five minutes after being there, though, and Naruto had him zeroed in his sights, a look Sasuke knew all too well on his face.“Why don’t you let me try and help?”

Immediately his hackles were up.Because that could literally mean anything and he had a natural reflex to be disinclined before he’d even heard Naruto’s idea.

“I know some of the chakra techniques for muscle healing and relaxation, I could—”

“Massage.”

“What?”

“You want to give me a massage.”He wasn’t really asking, just rewording what Naruto was really dancing around saying.

“…I mean yeah, but it’s just—I mean I just wanna help, you don’t have to make it weird.”Naruto was stubbornly looking toward the floor, but still refusing to rescind the offer. 

His first thought was that he’d literally rather do _anything_ else, but…Sakura’s words prickled at the back of his mind and he exhaled deeply.

“Okay.”

Naruto’s eyes darted to his, a look of disbelief quickly wrestled off his face.“Really?You’re sure?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”The ramen was left mostly unpacked on his counter, but he didn’t want to risk giving himself a chance to change his mind.Without even a look of hesitation, Naruto followed him to his living room, to the only couch he had that he could stretch his whole body out on.

He’d just settled and tried to breathe as much tension out of his muscles as possible when Naruto’s weight settled across the back of his thighs.It was only a split second of control that kept Sasuke from bodily throwing him off in protest, but he forced himself to relax again instead.It wasn’t Naruto’s fault that the simple contact made his heart race in his chest, that touching in a way that wasn’t brought on by fighting made his brain flounder for an embarrassing amount of time.

By the time he settled again, Naruto was just sitting still and he realized belatedly that he’d missed the better part of an awkward silence.

“What?”

“You’re probably gonna have to take your shirt off.”

The huff he counted as his right for already enduring everything leading up to that point, but he still managed to wrench his shirt over his head from the awkward _laying on his front with someone sitting on his legs_ position.

After that he closed his eyes with a stubborn clench, daring Naruto to ask him something _else_ and waited.Thankfully, less than a minute later he felt hands gliding over his back, aided by chakra that never failed to feel as familiar as his own.That warm presence alone was enough to relax the remaining tension he hadn’t let go. But then, Naruto really started, pressing into his muscles, running his fingers along routes unknown to Sasuke, touching him in a precise way that had him barely hovering above sleep in minutes.

It continued like that, until he lost track of how long Naruto’s hands had smoothed over his skin.Relaxation took him in waves, his whole body eventually feeling lulled by the contact. 

He couldn’t bring himself to make Naruto stop, that is, until he pressed along a new spot in just the right way and Sasuke was too blissed out to stop a groan from escaping.As soon as he realized what he did, his ease with the moment vanished.Naruto must have noticed his whole demeanor change because he lifted his hands but never got a chance to speak before Sasuke was snapping, “that’s enough, massage over.” 

The blond was up off his legs quick, stumbling over something to say as Sasuke sat up.Awkward feelings aside, his back felt better than it had in weeks.There was no denying how helpful the massage had been.“It’s okay, Naruto.Thanks.”

Something about him seemed agitated still, to Sasuke.“You’re welcome, Sas.I think I’m gonna go though.”And before he even waited for a response he was out the door, leaving behind their ramen, and not even saying bye.Sasuke didn’t even know how to react.

Weeks.It had been weeks since Naruto had given Sasuke his first chakra massage, and he hadn’t missed a single one since.Almost twice a week he let Naruto knead him into his couch until he could barely remember his own name.

By the end of the second time, he’d left all his reservations neatly behind.He still had pain, especially if he had to go more than four or so days without it, but it helped so much he couldn’t imagine going back to struggling the way he had been.He’d been lulled by the relief, lost any and all discomforts with being touched in such a gentle way.

The only problem with that, of course, was the way it shook the lock on those thoughts he kept so tightly sealed away.The thoughts he strictly denied, didn’t allow, ran from, that had everything to do with Naruto and nothing to do with the innocent way their friendship had existed up to that point.It had everything to do with the flutter in his stomach each time Naruto smiled, or the way he almost let his breath hitch when Naruto’s fingers gentled unexpectedly on his skin and it sent sparks down his spine, definitely with the way he still felt warm long after he watched blond hair disappear down the path from his house.

He was seconds from actually falling asleep, something he’d only slipped up and allowed once before, when his mind jerked awake.He glanced at the clock and noticed that Naruto had gone well over the half hour he normally cut their time off at.

“You can stop.My muscles feel like jello, thanks to you,” Sasuke tried to smirk where his face was pressed into the cushion.Something about the lack of tension in his muscles relaxed his mind as well.Made him much more likely to speak honestly.

Instead of standing up, though, Naruto just shifted his weight back on his knees.“Sasuke.” 

The way his mind was floating on endorphins, it took him an embarrassing minute to track the heavy emotion in Naruto’s tone.Once he did, he couldn’t help but turn over, struck with a need to see the face that went along with saying his name like that.He could tell immediately from the look in those blue eyes that he wasn’t prepared for whatever Naruto had to say.

“Sasuke, I—I know we’ve been through a lot together, and I’m sure you’ll hate this, but I just—I gotta get it off my chest, how I feel.”

Sasuke knew his eyes were probably the size of dinner plates, his heart was constricting in his chest.He couldn’t bring himself to talk even if he could decide whether he wanted to encourage or discourage the words about to tumble from Naruto’s mouth.

But just like always, he pushed forward, “you’re the most important person in my life, the one most precious to me.I’ve been warring with myself, about whether I made it clear while we laid there, and so I thought I’d just make sure you knew…that.”Naruto had been steadily staring somewhere around Sasuke’s belly button, but he looked up at the last word.

“That?”

He watched Naruto glance to the side, obviously trying to order his thoughts, before he continued.“That you’re it.You’re…my best friend.”And the way he said it, Sasuke could tell that Naruto himself didn’t know whether the last part was meant to be a question.His stomach was in knots.He couldn’t shake the feeling that for once in his life, Naruto’s ability with words was falling short.He had…a lot to think about.

“Me too, Naruto.I feel…the same.”Except he didn’t.He knew exactly how he felt and friendship didn’t cover it, hadn’t covered it for a long time.

It was those feelings he ran from, had run from even while Naruto had still pursued him.They’d been simmering ever since then, just under the surface of Sasuke’s skin where he’d pushed them down not long after realizing they were even there.And now it seemed, he was the one more in tune with them, for once.

“I had this idea,” Naruto said then, derailing Sasuke’s train of thought.“Because we’re so close and our chakra, the way it’s so easily woven together.I thought maybe I could try and see if—if my chakra maybe would be the extra thing your arm needs to…finish healing.”

“Hn,” was all he said at first, flipping rapidly through thoughts of Sakura and Naruto obviously talking about him, of Naruto worrying about him enough to come up with possible solutions to his pain, of just how much understanding Naruto had about how intertwined they were but still seemed to fall short of the true depth of their relationship.“What did you have in mind?”

“I was thinking I could cloak you, like I did in the war except…just my chakra and only you, of course.”His voice tapered off on a chuckle, like he was nervous at the reception his suggestion would get.Sasuke reflexively wanted to soothe it.

“Okay then.” 

He was still laying on the couch, facing Naruto who was hovering over the lower part of his thighs.Their eyes met and Naruto smiled, small and timid, before Sasuke felt the initial touch of their chakra, like a testing graze before it rushed over him in a wave.

His whole body was bathed in the vividly scorching chakra that completed their bond, the pair that they were.He hadn’t felt the same sense of balance, of completion, since their chakra had been mated by Hagoromo in the war.The first rush was so pleasant it distracted him from the unequal concentration of chakra toward his left side.By the time he realized, he could already feel the active effects, knew with certainty that the idea Naruto had would end up being entirely correct.

Sasuke could kick himself for never thinking of it, for not thinking to even try the kyubi chakra that healed Naruto constantly, but he let it go.

As he felt the last dregs of pain leave his body so did the bone-deep tension that could have never been massaged away.It was a freedom so thorough even his mind felt suddenly unburdened.

“Naruto,” he choked out, relief stealing the steadiness from his voice.

“Did it work?I could feel—”

“It worked. _It worked_.”He was so close to letting emotions well up and spill over the dam he always had so carefully constructed.The sharp nagging pain that hadn’t left him since he’d cracked his eyes open those few months ago was nowhere to be found.He felt close to elation.

“I’m so glad, Sasuke,” Naruto said, hauling him up and wrapping him in his arms.“So glad.”

The night before, when he’d gone to bed, pain free for the first time in months, he’d been able to work through his own thoughts and the conversation they’d had, able to finally make a decision, and come up with a plan for when Naruto inevitably turned back up at his house the next day.

Ever since he woke up that morning, he’d been waiting, leaving himself open to feel Naruto’s chakra as soon as it approached, thinking through his plan over and over, fine tuning exactly what he wanted to say.

When he heard Naruto call his name through the door he’d purposely left cracked, he couldn’t help but smile.The second Sasuke saw him step inside, he had him pinned back against the door, still smiling at his obviously startled expression.

“Sasuke?”Naruto didn’t even try to move, to wiggle free, though his voice was laced with confusion.Sasuke didn’t waste a second.

“Why are you doing all this for me?”He couldn’t help but marvel at how strong he felt, standing there with his arm pinned against Naruto’s chest.His body may as well have been tingling with how different he felt without the pain.

“You’re my best friend,” Naruto said, drawing all of his focus again.It was the answer he’d known he’d get.

“Am I your best friend like Sakura? Like Shikamaru or Choji or Kiba?”

Naruto didn’t even pause to think.“No, you’re different from them.”

“Different huh?”Sasuke leaned forward until their noses were almost touching.He could tell Naruto was trying to read his thoughts, could practically see the wheels turning behind his eyes trying to figure out what was going on.

“You must feel better then, huh Sasuke?”The words were mumbled, quiet, though Naruto’s gaze was still doing its best to penetrate his.

“Yeah, I feel better because of my _best friend_.”

Naruto’s breath choked mid inhale.“Are you saying we’re not best friends?!”

“Of course we are, but I also think you have no idea what you’re talking about.”Sasuke locked their eyes then, trying to get his point across.

“What do you mean, bastard?If you say we’re best friends then what else is there?!”

“Hmmm,” Sasuke leaned forward until every word he spoke was against Naruto’s lips.“There’s this.”And then they were kissing and for all the emotions he felt rioting inside him, the press of his mouth was gentle, tentative, allowing Naruto the chance to pull away if it wasn’t what he wanted.But he never pulled away, just allowed the kiss until it was Sasuke who pulled back. 

He didn’t know what he expected, but the stricken look on Naruto’s face wasn’t it.He felt seconds tick by before he watched Naruto’s expression crumple, his hands squeezing tight where they were balled in Sasuke’s shirt.

His heart was beating hard enough that he could feel it in the back of his throat.All the years they’d been working up to this point.It was pivotal, like they rested precariously at the top of a hill and one word would send them careening down, changing their relationship forever.So he waited.

“Sasuke,” Naruto finally said, a tremor in his voice, and then their gazes locked, “ _Sasuke._ ”It made him ache inside to hear all those emotions warring through Naruto’s tone, but in his eyes _._ “You feel it too?”

“ _Do_ I?Of course I—”But before he could finish, Naruto used his grip to jerk Sasuke forward and their mouths were back together, except this time, there was no tentative meeting of lips.It felt like they were trying to devour each other, tongues sliding together and teeth pressing into lips.

This was what he knew he felt for Naruto, how their relationship had always been.Next level. _Wild._ They had always been drawn to each other and now there was no doubt it was in every way.

Their movements lacked finesse, both of them frantic to keep their mouths pressed together, their bodies pressed close.

Eventually, he made the split second decision to spin and grab Naruto’s hand before hurrying them both down the hall.

Down the hall, to his room, where Naruto had never been before.There was something about that fact that made Sasuke’s blood rush all the harder.He barely had time to turn around, let alone contemplate his thoughts, before Naruto’s mouth was back on his and they were tumbling onto his bed.

Their mouths stayed together but their hands were everywhere, impatiently moving and rubbing and grasping.It didn’t take long for their clothes to be in the way, for both of them to get irritated with the barrier between them.

So Sasuke backed away and stood up to strip while he watched Naruto tug his own shirt off.When he laid back to unsnap his pants, Sasuke just grabbed the ends and jerked them off. 

It was then that it struck him, looking at Naruto in nothing but his boxers while he stood naked, his own shirt just slipping through his fingers to the floor.His body was aching for what they were about to do but his heart was absolutely obliterated by the force of his feelings.There were so many things, but all he could seem to focus on was how he just wanted to be as close to Naruto as he could get.Physically, emotionally, everything.So close there was no one of them without the other, to himself and to everyone else.

He felt the edge of urgency trickle out of him as his hand wrapped around Naruto’s ankle and trailed its way up, moving as he climbed, his eyes never once wavering from that blue he was so fond of.

He only stopped when his thighs were cradled against Naruto’s bottom, his weight resting on his knees, and Naruto’s legs parted to allow him.His hand continued on its way, across Naruto’s hip, up the middle of his belly and his throat, briefly cradling the side of his face before moving to journey back down the same way. He wanted to touch every inch, reclaim every missed opportunity, though he knew he could never.

He was simultaneously trying to take his time and rush, to touch all of Naruto though he only had one hand, but then he flicked his fingers over a nipple and Naruto used his feet to tumble him forward on a groan.

“I’m gonna combust if you move any slower.”

“Sorry,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips, “I just wanna touch all of you.”His voice was muffled where his mouth was buried against Naruto’s skin, his tongue tracing the rim of his ear and flicking over the lobe.

“I’m not going anywhere, you have forever to touch me.”Sasuke couldn’t help but groan at his words, just at the thought of future times just like this.“That fucking groan,” Naruto rasped, trailing his fingers down Sasuke’s sides and digging them into the swell of his ass.“Thought I was gonna melt when you did that before.”

He didn’t even have to try and remember the time Naruto was talking about, those short weeks ago when he’d moaned during the first back massage.He breathed out a small laugh where his mouth was leaving wet kisses across Naruto’s collar bone.

“Don’t laugh, bastard.”His tone was a reprimand, but at the same time he used his leverage on Sasuke’s ass to shove their hips together and that didn’t feel so much like punishment.There was no holding back his gasp at the friction of their bare skin sliding together.

“I was wondering why you got up and left all quick and awkward.”

“Says the man who was all, ‘oh I’m enjoying physical contact, that’s enough, massage over.’”The sing song whine of Naruto’s mocking voice made Sasuke grind his hips down again, catching the blond by surprise this time, and making him moan.

“Who’s enjoying physical contact now?”

“Both of us you idiot,”Sasuke could feel Naruto’s hands clamped iron tight on his hips, neither of them able to keep from thrusting against each other now, “I can feel your dick leaking too, don’t get cocky.”

Sasuke snorted, “cocky?”

Naruto’s quick grin was accentuated by his flushed cheeks and the harsh breaths Sasuke could feel ghosting across his skin.“Just hurry up.”

He rolled his eyes before breaking contact to reach over for lube and resting back on his knees again to coat his fingers.Just as he circled a slick finger around Naruto’s entrance he glanced up to watch his expression, to watch him bite his lip when he finally pressed his finger inside and then another, the way his lids fluttered and his eyes rolled back when Sasuke rubbed against his prostate.

Naruto was vocal, just like always, whispering Sasuke’s name in that husky voice of his, moaning little noises of encouragement as he stretched him.It was almost enough to rush him, but not quite, as if he could hurry through his first time of getting to touch Naruto this way, as if he would bother fighting the urge to allow the sharingan to claim his eyes and burn every second to memory.

In reality it was the small, “Sasuke _please_ ,” that made him remove his fingers, wipe the excess lube on himself, and kiss his way back up to Naruto’s mouth. 

For a second, he let himself get lost in the tangle of their tongues, but then his mind drifted to their skin warming where it was pressed together, to the way his own desire was a fire stoked and roaring just under his skin.

It was with small reluctance that he pulled back to look into Naruto’s eyes, to let the anticipation simmering there drive him on.

He only separated them as much as he had to in order to line himself up and start the slow push forward, before burying his face back in the crook of Naruto’s neck and grinding his teeth as he fought to stay in control.He could swear Naruto wasn’t breathing, though he could feel the wild beating of his heart where their chests were pressed close.Only when their hips finally met and they were as close together as they could physically get, did Sasuke feel him sigh.

“ _Naruto._ ”

“I know, Sas.I know.”His voice sounded just as broken to Sasuke’s ears as he felt inside.

It was too much.He was overwhelmed, shaken apart to his core over finally connecting with Naruto in every possible way.They were well past that pivotal moment now, broken free of the constraints that friendship had seemed to put on them.There would be no going back even if Sasuke wanted to.

It wasn’t until Naruto nudged him that he moved and then only shallowly, rocking his hips, giving him the chance to get used to the feeling.Only when Naruto mumbled, “ _go, please go_ ,” did Sasuke start moving for real, finding the angle that made him cry out before he sped up his thrusts.

He used his mouth to map across Naruto’s skin, skimming his lips along his jaw, trailing his tongue along the frantically beating pulse in his neck.Sasuke felt addicted, like he’d never get enough.He wanted to know every inch of skin, every taste, every sound, didn’t want to imagine ever going without the soft press of lips or the slick heat of their bodies connecting ever again.

Everything Sasuke did was a learning experience.Which angle was the best, what to do with his mouth, how to move his hips.He’d never tire of learning Naruto’s body and he knew the feeling would be much the same when it came to Sasuke’s body too, when it was Naruto’s turn.

He nibbled on Naruto’s earlobe because he whimpered when Sasuke did and he swirled his hips every so often because that always earned him a gasp.It made it easy for Sasuke not to care about the noises tumbling from his own lips, the words he whispered hot against Naruto’s skin.All of his nerves were searing from the pleasure overload, but he could only chase after more, make sure Naruto felt everything he could give him.

The only time Sasuke paused was to reach down and hike his leg up, to give him a better angle, and to turn Naruto’s noise of protest into throwing his head back and wailing, his hands gripping tight to keep them pressed close together. 

Almost too soon he felt the muscles in Naruto’s legs start to quiver, his fingertips clamping bruises into Sasuke’s skin.It only drove him on, hips rocketing forward to drive them closer to the edge.Pleasure was gathering low in his own belly, his ability to hold on dwindling by the minute, every thrust felt like it was a spark dancing down his spine.

Naruto was moaning almost continuously, his words muddled, his hips jerkily trying to meet Sasuke’s.His eyes rolled shut a second before his body clamped down.And even as Naruto yelled out his name, Sasuke still wasn’t ready for the feeling, the way the squeeze felt so good every sense he had was overloaded by the sheer ecstasy.He didn’t even last two more thrusts before his own body was trembling apart, crying out for Naruto though it was no doubt just broken murmuring, the orgasm robbing him of all rational thought.

Who knew how long it was before his brain flickered back on, but when it did he was sticky in the best kind of way, his body was heavy, his mind blissed out.Naruto was lazily combing fingers through his hair, obviously not caring that their bodies were still haphazardly tangled together, and Sasuke’s head was on his chest.

“Hn,” Sasuke managed to mumble, if only to let Naruto know his mind was back online.All he got was a chuckle in response.“You okay? You want me to move?”

“Nah,” he said, still stroking his fingers through midnight strands, “I like laying this way.”

Sasuke cleared his throat.“For the record, this wasn’t my plan when I ambushed you.”He was hoping Naruto could tell he was smiling because he was still working up to the energy needed to move any of his muscles.

“Well aren’t we all thankful things don’t always go to plan.”That got a snort out of him.

“I can’t say I’m not thankful, so you’re right.”

When he finally felt like he was made of more than just jello, he pulled himself up to lay beside Naruto, so they were facing each other.Somehow he wasn’t surprised they were both smiling like idiots.

“You…take my breath away,” Sasuke whispered, his words all in a hurry before he decided not to say them.He didn’t know what really made him admit it, but hiding everything he felt got exhausting sometimes, and Naruto deserved to hear it. 

Naruto gasped, his eyes growing round before his expression seemed to crumple.“Sasuke.”His voice wobbled around his name when he spoke, and those were so not Sasuke’s intentions with this, but for Naruto he would go there.

“There’s no use trying to keep it a secret now.You’re everything to me, and I know I can never go back and fix all the times I failed to show that, but I can make sure I never waste an opportunity again.I want to be a part of you and you of me.I want us to be bonded so close, no one can tell where you begin and I end.I know…that’s a lot and we’ve kinda just started down this road, but I had to get that off _my_ chest.”

The part of him so used to never sharing wanted to look away, to curl in on himself and hide from the honesty of his own words.But before he could, there were tears gathering in Naruto’s eyelashes, and he had a finger under Sasuke’s chin so he could lean forward and kiss him, soft and warm and slow like he didn’t know he needed.

Their lips lingered, but when they finally broke apart, it was so Naruto could whisper, “I love you.”

It was everything he could do to reign in the noise of surprise, but he couldn’t control the tears pricking his eyes and rolling down his cheeks.How long had it been since he’d heard those words?How long had it been since someone had said them and meant them as sincerely as Naruto did in that moment?

His insides were mush.His heart was in his throat, stealing his words along with the tears.By the time he could finally say it back, his face was pressed against Naruto’s skin, their arms were wrapped around each other so there was no choice but to lay close.

He didn’t know they’d fallen asleep that way until he woke to weak sunlight streaming through his windows.Naruto was fast asleep, both of them still curled as close as he remembered them being.

It gave him time to be alone with his thoughts, something he normally always had but strayed away from now.For all the happiness he’d experienced since the night before, there was one thing weighing his mind down.Any other time he would have pushed it aside and refused to address it until he had no choice.But then Naruto stirred out of sleep and cracked his eyes to smile as soon as he found Sasuke looking at him, and he knew there was no keeping it a secret, not anymore.

“We…need to talk,” he said, almost wincing at breaching the topic the second Naruto’s eyes opened.Within seconds, though, that blue gaze was alert and focused on him.Sasuke took a deep breath.“I can’t stay in the village forever.I’m…going to leave, eventually.”He expected big upset, anger maybe, definitely not the amused snort that he got. 

“That’s okay, Sas.I’m coming with you.”

“What?! You can’t!”

“I—we really haven’t had the chance to talk much, and I’m not saying I agree with all of your ideas and definitely not your past methods but…I’ve had some time to think lately, since we woke up dying side by side, and a lot of things you said to me in the past…they’re starting to make more sense.”Sasuke was staring.He knew he was, wide eyed and probably slack-mouthed, so Naruto kept going.“I’d really like the chance to figure out my own thoughts, to learn from your perspective.What better way is there to do that than to travel with you?”

Naruto smiled at his dumbfounded expression.For a second, he was checked out, thoughts running through his mind trying to connect dots and ideas and times he may have gotten a hint of anything Naruto just told him.

In the end though, he was left with waves of emotion crashing over him, from the unexpected understanding in Naruto’s eyes, from the relief of not having to leave part of himself behind in a village he had such confusing feelings for.Still… “but your dream of being hokage?”

“I think, most importantly,” Naruto said, talking quietly in the space between them, “that I don’t want to be a leader just because of the title, and that’s what I’ve always sought the position for.Because I wanted respect and acknowledgement, and I have that now, now in a time when I thirst for it least. If I’m gonna be hokage, I’m gonna do it right, and I think the best way to make sure of that is to learn more, to live the most life I can before I decide to lead others.”

Again all Sasuke could focus on was his own surprise at Naruto’s words.He was the same Naruto he’d always been, but the years had changed him, and time surely changed everyone, but it had changed him for the better.

“Also I want to be with you cause I like you.”

Ahh there it was.Sasuke snorted.Still a blond idiot deep down.But he guessed now he was _his_ blond idiot, and how could he ever want to change that?


End file.
